1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to dental flossing devices, and more particularly to an improved dental flossing device employing closed loops of floss supported to efficiently and effectively floss the teeth.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The benefits of regular use of dental floss have long been recognized and continue to be stressed by the dental profession as a vital part of a comprehensive dental care program. However, many people find it inconvenient or difficult to use dental floss at least partially because of difficulty in maneuvering the floss betwween the back teeth with the fingers. Indeed, this difficulty of maneuvering dental floss with the hands, coupled with the difficulty in forcing the floss between teeth which are very close together, makes it virtually impossible for some people to properly floss in this manner. Accordingly, a number of flossing devices have been developed in an attempt to facilitate holding the floss under the proper tension and at the desired orientation for use. The most popular of these prior art flossing devices generally have had a pair of spaced arms across which a length of dental floss is strung and either secured at the ends as by wrapping or wedging into a narrow slot, or by holding the free end with the hands. A supply of dental floss is provided, as on the handle, of certain of these prior art devices whereas in others it is necessary to sever the desired length of floss from a conventional supply spool and then secure it to the holder. In either case, properly securing the floss to the holder is a tedious task and proper tensioning for effective flossing is not always achieved.
Flossers of the so-called disposable type are also known in which a length of floss is permanently secured in position for use, examples of such devices being found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,918,466 and 4,006,750. While such devices eliminate the problem of manually installing the floss, they are nevertheless relatively expensive, particularly when it is considered that the single length of floss conventionally employed frequently becomes frayed or even breaks before the user can floss all of his teeth, thereby making it necessary to use more than one of the devices for a single flossing. Further, the floss generally has not been held in the most convenient position for use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,246 discloses a dental floss holder in the form of a resilient strip bent and retained in a generally U-shaped configuration over which an endless band of dental floss is positioned, with the resiliency in the holder arms applying the necessary tension to the floss. This device, however, is not easily maneuvered in the back portion of the mouth and holding the device frequently results in the arms being resiliently pressed toward one another thereby lessening the tension in the floss.
It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved dental flossing device which is easy and convenient to use and which avoids the shortcomings of the prior art devices as briefly outlined above.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dental flossing device including an elongated handle having at one end a floss support head presenting a plurality of fingers for supporting a closed loop of dental floss in a position in which it is more easily and efficiently used for flossing all of the teeth in the user's mouth.
Another object is to provide such a dental flossing device wherein the floss supporting head is generally in the configuration of a star wheel, including a plurality of radial fingers disposed in a common plane and extending transversely of an elongated handle and wherein dental floss supported on the elongated fingers presents a plurality of tensioned segments for use in flossing the teeth.
Another object is to provide such a dental flossing device wherein an endless loop of dental floss is positioned around and supported by the end portions of a plurality of radially extending fingers whereby the portion of floss extending between each adjacent pair of such fingers may be used in flossing the teeth.
Another object is to provide such a dental flossing device wherein an endless loop of dental floss is elastically stretched onto and supported by a plurality of substantially rigid radially extending fingers and wherein the dental floss has sufficient elastic resilience to maintain desired tension for flossing the teeth when installed.
Another object is to provide such a flossing device which may be used to simultaneously floss both upper and lower teeth.
Another object is to provide such a flossing device wherein bite pressure may be used to facilitate inserting the floss between the teeth.
Another object is to provide such a dental flossing device which is inexpensive to manufacture and on which the endless loop of dental floss may be easily installed and removed for maximum convenience in use.